Rotary Club of Ames, Iowa USA

Human Trafficking in Central Iowa: How You Can Be Part of the Solution

The Rotary Club of Ames, IA funded a major $10,000 project which was matched with $5,000 in funding from Rotary District 6000. This 12 month project was entitled Human Trafficking in Central Iowa: How You Can Be Part of the Solution.
Information about this successful project is on display at the Rotarian Action Group Against Slavery (RAGAS) booth No. 2926 at the Atlanta Rotary International Convention. For more information about RAGAS, go to their website www.ragas.online and sign up for their newsletter.

The Rotary Club of Ames urges other U.S. clubs to join the fight to end modern day slavery both here in the United States, and across the globe. For more information about labor and sex trafficking in Iowa, go to the Iowa Network Against Human Trafficking website at www.iowanaht.org. Once you connect to this website, please subscribe to the twice monthly blog post written by Ames Rotary Club board member George Belitsos, by clicking on the contact us tab. Dr. George also serves as chair of the Iowa NAHT Board of Directors.

Major outcomes of the Rotary Club of Ames anti-human trafficking project:

Legislation & Proclamation

The level of public concern and interest in learning about labor and sex trafficking exceeded expectations. This was measured by the large turnout for project-funded speaking engagements and six major public forums. A total of just over 4,500 attended these Rotary funded lectures and public awareness events.

This project helped to also create enough awareness of the growing trafficking problem in Iowa, that the project was able to reach Iowa legislators resulting in passage of two major anti-trafficking bills. One of these bills created the Office to Combat Human Trafficking within the Iowa Department of Public Safety, which opened August 2016.
Governor Branstad devoted his first press conference of 2017 to the topic of trafficking in Iowa and he was joined at the podium by a member of the Rotary Club of Ames. The Governor of Iowa also signed a proclamation designating January 2017 as Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention and Awareness Month.

Hotel Employee Training

Twenty-four hotel managers and supervisors attended a sex trafficking awareness meeting hosted by Rotary. Seven of these hotels agreed to have their employees trained on how to recognize and report suspected trafficking. Each hotel received a plaque to display in their lobby that certified the employee training and that the hotel will report suspicious trafficking.

Nicholas Kristof – Major Speaker

Rotary funded the showing of the documentary, Sex Trafficking in the USA, and a discussion of Nicholas Kristof’s book, A Path Appears. This forum was held one week prior to a lecture featuring Nicholas Kristof. The documentary was viewed by 480 in attendance which far exceeded expectations. Copies of the documentary were offered to groups, schools and service clubs who were unable to attend the forum. The 1 1/2 hour documentary has been an excellent anti-human trafficking training tool.

Nicholas Kristof, Pulitzer-Prize winning columnist for the New York Times spoke on the global fight against human trafficking. His address was entitled Why We Should Care About the World and Want to Change It. An astonishing 1,600 attended the lecture. Rotary was listed as a major funder and sponsor. Kristof began with slides of trips to Asia and his early exposure to human trafficking. He has expanded his research and also discussed domestic US sex trafficking. His book A Path Appears was for sale after the lecture, and he signed many copies for those attending.

Example Forums & Any Kid Anywhere

Two Human Trafficking Community Forums were held at the Ames Public Library. The forum included the first showing of Any Kid Anywhere. Protecting Our Children was the lead forum sponsor and Rotary was listed as the sole funder. The DVD, Any Kid Anywhere, features interviews of three Iowa women who were trafficked starting in their teens. The Rotary grant funded the production of 100 DVDs which were distributed free to schools across Iowa. The DVD was followed by a local panel discussion. The Ames Tribune had a front page article about the two forums.

Example Lecture

Rotary hosted a lecture at which James Kofi Annan spoke on Stopping Child Slavery in Ghana. Through his work, Mr. Annan has rescued and supported over 10,000 children who have been forced child labor slaves. Approximately 460 attended the James Kofi Annan lecture. An Ames Rotarian introduced the speaker. James told his personal story of being sold into child slavery at age six and escaping at age 12. He has established a survivors’ program which provides safe housing, counseling, medical care, and a school. A group from Ames, including Ames Mayor Ann Campbell (a member of the Rotary Club of Ames), will be traveling to Ghana to help expand the school and its library.

Funding for Survivor Services

The Rotary Club of Ames presented checks to four direct service agencies as budgeted in the Rotary Human Trafficking grant. Photos were taken of the check presentations with a cutline introducing eight Rotarians who were present for the check passing. Rotary published two of these photos in the Rotary Club of Ames newsletter. YSS, a statewide child welfare agency, used the Rotary funds to print an informational brochure on child sex trafficking. Rotary is listed on the brochure as the funder.

Teens Against Human Trafficking

Rotary funds assisted the startup of the Ames High School Teens Against Human Trafficking (TAHT). The Ames Tribune carried a front page article about the establishment of the AHS group. In addition, Rotary funds helped to expand TAHT in Ankeny, Fort Dodge, and Des Moines.

Luis CdeBaca – Major Speaker

Rotary was very fortunate to secure Luis CdeBaca to come to Ames and central Iowa for two entire days to commemorate Anti-Human Trafficking Awareness month. Luis CdeBaca recently stepped down as U.S. Ambassador to monitor and combat trafficking in person. He now leads the Department of Justice Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking (SMART) based in Washington, D.C. Although we had budgeted $2,500 for this Rotary grant line item, very little was spent since Ambassador CdeBaca decided to donate his time and pay for his own travel from Washington, D.C. to Iowa. Ambassador CdeBaca spoke at two major community forums and also addressed the Rotary Club of Ames. He also consulted with the Iowa Department of Public Safety, and met with non-profits providing rescue and direct services to survivors of human trafficking.

Bus Signs

Rotary funded the production and display of anti-trafficking signs for the CyRide buses in Ames. Primarily high school and college students ride CyRide. The signs were designed by Iowa State University students. Houck Transit Advertising produced the signs and displayed the signs on buses. All the CyRide buses rotate to a new route daily, giving full market coverage. The signs were displayed for three months.